When you make these purchases do they say "we will ship it on xx/xx/xxxx" leading you to believe it is sitting on a shelf or do they tell you upfront you are preordering and the deposit is a material fee an the balance is construction and labor costs.

If that is the fact maybe thses comoanies need to look into Eli Whitney's plan of interchangeable parts to mass produce their new widget everyone will want in their haunt instead of each unit being a "one-off" and just slightly different and a pian to repair if failure occurs.

Now for a question of my own.

Does anyone ever see a cool new item at one of the shows and say
"PSSHHT, I can build one of those" and do it?

Chris,
Sorry if my sarcasm made you think I was against your idea. I am all for exposing the companies who are trying to rip off my haunting friends. I think we NEED a forum or a portion of a forum for this purpose only. Maybe a simple thread such as "GREAT COMPANIES" and another thread for companies to stay away from. Of course there would have to be scrict monitoring of the threads because you never know when someone from a competitors company might want to discredit an opponent. I think that a forum like this would be a valuable tool for the industry ,but I am not sure that this forum would be the best place to house it.
Thanks,
PH

Then we are in complete agreement. I appologize for the sarcastic nature of my response and plead frustration as this thread is a duplicate of one from last year. How many struggling haunt owners have to come here with real-life horror stories before a feedback forum like this becomes a good idea?

"To be matter-of-fact about the world is to blunder into fantasy - and dull fantasy at that, as the real world is strange and wonderful." Robert A. Heinlein

I just think you are under the impression this forum is some kind of grassroots network created for haunters, by haunters, etc.

Regardless of who owns it or created it, if this forum was not created by haunters for haunters then what exactly is it? Haunt suppliers advertise here so that haunters see their ads. Not other haunt suppliers, but haunters. Larry too is a haunt supplier in that he provides a service to haunters (a place to exchange information) and then sells the rights to advertise to those who visit. I am suggesting a relatively effortless way for Larry to inprove the service he provides.

Let me be blunt. The product Larry is selling is us -- haunters -- and he is selling access to us to advertisers. We are here because it is a good place to exchange information. If, for any reason, it stops being that place then we wont be here and neither will the people paying Larry for the rights to flash their messages in front of us. This is just like TV where advertisers pay based on the ratings of the programs.

I am making a SUGGESTION for how Larry can improve the website. Keeping sight of the reason for this forum's existance, haunters, is a good place to start.

"To be matter-of-fact about the world is to blunder into fantasy - and dull fantasy at that, as the real world is strange and wonderful." Robert A. Heinlein

If this customer service forum is off somewhere other than right here is anyone going to visit it every day? Nope. So other than that it is Lather Rinse Repeat. Even Einstien had to do that occasionally to have such groovy hair!

Another fabulous post from the U.S.Department of Wild Imaginings, now in spectaclar stereo, sponsored by the Adhesives and Sealants Council, suggesting ways to stick things together since the 1800s. Not fabulous in a gay way. Your results may vary. Illinois residents add 8% sales tax. These posts have been made by professional post makers, do not try this type of posting on your own without extensive training, lovely assistants and a trusty clown horn.

.and don't forget Larry Fine, the stooge with the wire-hair or Doctor Zorba on the old TV show "Ben Casey", Einstein hair imitators.
Did somebody say "Tators?"
Where's the gravy?

A business competitor negating his competition's business anonymously on-line?
This would never happen.
No haunts ever tell their workers to go on line and say bad things about the other guy's haunt down the block do they?
Of course critisicm can be good, this how I found out that I have a meth lab in my house! I didn't know!
I also never knew that somehow running tours every night of the year I somehow have some time to run a local satanic cult?
I am SO BUSY, more than even I knew!
Maybe I wouldn't have to pay my helpers if they all worshiped me or needed chemical stimulation I was providing, of course the quality of the tour might suffer somewhat........hahahaha!

1.) Prop building industry has a lot of work in gaining trust.
2.) Meeting deadlines.
3.) Money transactions (How to handle) (Deposits)(Delivery)
4.) Need a rating service. I think someone has started another post.

Oh, I'm sorry that's not the way it works here. We wait until Larry PM's us to call him directly to seace and desist what ever activity. Until further notice you are not in charge.

Another fabulous post from the U.S.Department of Wild Imaginings, now in spectaclar stereo, sponsored by the Adhesives and Sealants Council, suggesting ways to stick things together since the 1800s. Not fabulous in a gay way. Your results may vary. Illinois residents add 8% sales tax. These posts have been made by professional post makers, do not try this type of posting on your own without extensive training, lovely assistants and a trusty clown horn.